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Member Comments

I would love if you could provide this resolution for this wallpaper :)

Sebastian

"To be perfectly honest"

Fri September 3, 2010 at 7:10 am

Well, I very much like the composition and the colours and all, but that little human figure stands out too much (as Bobby said) so I have to admit I like the pickle jar version better...

But still a great image nonetheless!

David W

"favorite"

Tue May 18, 2010 at 5:12 pm

this is by far my most favorite wallpaper ever!

O'Connor

"Says it all"

Fri January 29, 2010 at 9:47 pm

The man is dwarfed by the universe around him. This makes it stark evident to the viewer that to gaze out and take a look at it all, is one of the most beautiful things you can do, and it's so simple.

David

"Awesome"

April 3, 2009

Ryan, this image is awesome - one of the best I have seen.

Sean

"Insigificance and triumph..."

February 17, 2009

Ryan, definitely one of my favorite images that you've produced.

I read that there's a version of this without the person and am very glad that the version with the individual was your "final" cut. I like the mental imagery of the small person in a large scope, but that the person is some how strong and assertive in his presence in the landscape, yet somehow reflective with the darker composition. Individually, we can be very strong and I like that. Again, very nice.

(Tiny gripe: I can see the shading stripes as the moon was shaded and dislike the modeling artifact - would prefer to imagine this as real vs. computer generated).

Guido

""Moonshadow" in Tekzilla Daily Video"

January 26, 2009

I just saw this wonderful image in the background of a Tekzilla Daily Video.

Check it out: http://cnettv.cnet.com/2001-1_53-50005034.html

When I saw the video I thought: Wait a moment... I know this background from somewhere ;-)

Paul

"Moonshadow"

October 11, 2008

There is a quality of darkness yet beauty, a very powerful image. You are a talented Artist.

Chris

"new backround"

August 2, 2008

This render is pretty amazing. I would love to look through the eyes of the man standing on the rocks.

Hunter

"Wow!"

June 15, 2008

Are you sure this is computer generated?!

It looks .. wow! I'm going to cycle between this and 'untouched' for quite some time.

If I was to be picky, I would say that the actual moon shadow is a tad blurry around the edges, but you barely notice that.

Exellent work!

muse.ings

"Stop the press!"

June 15, 2008

Ohhh...

You've outdone yourself again! I just found the next wallpaper in my rotation.

I recently purchased Vue 6 and was wondering if you could provide me with a source for tutorials. I have been messing around with Vue for some time now; with no official knowing of what I am actually doing. Sometimes the images come out awesome, and sometimes they don’t (Garbage Jar). LOL!

I would really love to learn the discipline and true technique that you have mastered.

Again, great work!

Ac3oS

"Brilliant"

May 18, 2008

Amazing... epic and inspiring... It's nice to come here where mystery still lives.. you can't get this feeling of awe and mystery in the real world...

Ryan

"To Bobby"

May 12, 2008

Thanks for your comments. I'm glad you like the wallpaper!

To answer your request: there is a "no person" version in the Pickle Jar.

Bobby

"Amazing Image"

May 12, 2008

Ryan,

Can we please get a second version without the person in the picture? The shading and coloring of this image is so artistic and beautiful that the person in it I think actually takes away from what would be one of the best images you've done to date.

Please give us a no person version as well!

Long time fan and subscriber,

-Bobby

Evan

"Good stuff"

May 10, 2008

This is a great image, lots of depth. The kind of image that you want to write a story to explain!

Thanks!

Adrian

"Animation"

May 3, 2008

It would make a nice Vista Dreamscene wallpaper, if the corona would be animated (low motion - to avoid dizzines while working :D )

Fine render btw.

SANDRA JO

"I LIKE OUR LITTLE MAN, LEAVE HIM B"

April 27, 2008

C'MON GUYS!

I THINK HAVING THE HUMAN FIGURE, ADDS TO THE STORY,

COULD BE, MAN VERSUS HUMAN NATURE, WE CAN CONTROL

A LOT OF THINGS BUT NATURE? ... I THINK NOT

SANDRA JO

"MANS INSIGNIFICANCE"

April 27, 2008

HI WHAT AN AMAZING PHOTO, TO ME WHAT COMES TO MIND

WHEN I LOOK AT THIS IS "WHAT A SPECK OF DUST MANKIND IS

COMPARED TO THE AWESOMENESS OF CREATION"

WHO ARE WE THAT THE CREATOR CARES ABOUT US, WE THE

SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND COMPARED TO HEAVENLY BODIES AND

THE LIKE

Dan

"Viewing Resolution"

April 19, 2008

Has there been an effort amongst the patrons of this site to list the viewing resolution of an image used by the commentor when making comments on said image?

I don't mean to criticize the critics, so please don't take it that way. I just wonder what the image looks like, side-by-side, between a 1280x1024 and a 1920x1200 (barring any concerns over 4:3 vs. 16:9 or 16:10).

Smithy

"Moons to big?"

April 17, 2008

Then again maybe the moons to big for the scale of the background, or maybe my monitors too big... lol

Smithy

"NICE!!"

April 17, 2008

Another great piece man... like insanely great.. but! one thing the moon looks like you got the dot tool in ms paint and just dotted it there, I don't mean to discredit your insanely awesome work.... Its just the moon doesnt go well with the pic maybe soften the edges a bit add some moon shadow of some sort in there... i dunno but the edges man are just to "sharp".. if you get what i mean the whole dot just stands out over the whole pic... but other then that its another awesome piece...

Cheers..

Konstantin

"Great!!!"

April 9, 2008

Yeah, really great image =)

Ryan, i posted here some time ago, about IM service here =) So that users can chat to each other, in PM or in main chat. What do you think?

Scott P

"Version 2"

April 6, 2008

I always prefer your images sans humans...I guess it's because I use them to get away from everything, including people!

Nimesh P

"Woah"

April 5, 2008

Awesome work on this one. Through the reviews I am seeing some buzz about the little guy. In my opinion the figure does give volume to how big scenery is compared to a human. It gives the background a more reflective stance. With or without I think it is all ok. I like how lately DB has been pumping out some really developed wallpapers, this is most definitely worth signing up for.

Aaron

""Forced" scale not needed"

April 4, 2008

I get what you are saying about the little guy in the foreground giving the thing some scale, I just don't think it is needed and draws attention away from the subject of the image. Very cool with or without, but I prefer no little guy.

Deona

"fake edges on Moonshadow"

April 3, 2008

I really like the sky effects. However, the stick figure shadow person detracts from the scene, even though this one is a better shape than most. I was disappointed with the eclipse(?) event. The edges do not look like an moon (or planet), but more artificial, so it looks like a drawn device, instead of a celestial event. I offer the devices of NASA for comparison, mostly because the works of yours on my computer are often mistaken for reality by fellow scientists. I admit that although many amateur photographers have pictures that look like dots with light behind them, in this particular shot, you can see solar flares and the dim washed image of the moon surface floating on top.

http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/img/total_lg.gif

Deona

"fake edges on Moonshadow"

April 3, 2008

I really like the sky effects. As usual, the stick figure shadow person detracts from the scene. I was disappointed with the eclipse (?) event. the edges do not look like an moon (or planet), but more artificial, so it looks like a drawn device, instead of a celestial event.

Ryan

"Vacation"

April 3, 2008

No worries Alex. I'm fine. Actually I'm taking a little vacation this week (much needed) and will be returning tomorrow. I have an image rendering while I am away from my computer and it will hopefully be ready by the weekend.

Alex

"Excellent Image!"

April 3, 2008

The low clouds and large sun really make this scene seem vast. The human figure is good for scale, and I like the image either way. Excellent as usual.

I am wondering if you are okay, Ryan- I can wait for a long time for a new image, but no updates concerns me. You're making the MIA list after eleven days with no updates. Please keep your loyal viewers informed!

Daniel

"Hmm"

April 3, 2008

I much more prefer this one than the Moon Shadow without the figure. I'm not sure if you understand this, but the figure really gives life to the image.

Kevin

"Awesome"

April 2, 2008

I love Moonshadow, I currently have it on my desk top. I don't know why but this picture is amazing.

Shane

"All I expected and more"

April 2, 2008

This goes down as one of my favorite. Normally I like landscape shots but the blend of color, perspective, cloud texture, detail basically everything in this is awesome.

Larry

"Moon Shadow"

April 1, 2008

When i first saw the small version of this i thought how dramatic this was going to look and couldnt wait to bring it up on my moniter. Once i put it up though all i could look at was the big black dot and the smaller black one. It took away from the grandness of the rest of the picture. I understand what you were doing but it just looks like a big black dot, with a small black dot next to it. The dark side of the planet could use some depth or life put into it. I always look foward to seeing what your going to come up with next but i just felt this one could be so much more.

Paul

"New Moonshadow"

April 1, 2008

Thanks for the "uninhabited" version. It looks amazing, especially with dual monitors.

It looked great with the person too, but when I look at a wallpaper, I like having the feeling of solitude - that I'm alone. With the person in it, it makes me feel like I'm intruding someone else's solitude, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, thanks for both!

Logical

"Facebook page"

April 1, 2008

I'm having trouble with the link to the picture of your computer setup- I just get a Facebook "Content not found" page. Is it because I'm not signed up with Facebook? If so, is there another place you could post that picture so I could get to it?

Valesca

"Moonshadow"

April 1, 2008

I think it looks better with the person in the picture. Either way, they both look awesome. Nice One!

Alex

"Brighter 3 Screen backdrops"

March 31, 2008

Let me first say that i love the backdrops. They are just beautiful. I was wondering if you could make some lighter versions or the 3 screen backdroups. Kinda the nature ones but wiht some more brightness.

thanks for the great work.

S

James

"Re; spots and little dudes"

March 30, 2008

I know there are some stars. They didn't seem to stand out so much before though.

Mal

"Spots and Little Dudes"

March 30, 2008

"Does anybody else notice the spots?"

Are you talking about the stars in the sky?

I personally think this piece works better with the little dude on the rocks. To each his/her own.

Gabriel

"Moonshadow w/o Man"

March 29, 2008

I have to say it's a great wallpaper, but I also prefer the one without the man. While it does give scale - to me it detracts from the sense of "awe" that the image projects. Just my 2 cents, keep up the good work!

- Gabriel

James

"Corruption?"

March 28, 2008

I noticed there are spots all over quite a few versions of "Moonshadow." I noticed it on my background at first and thought my monitor was going out. Then I noticed it was on my other monitor also. I looked a few other versions I didn't look at before to make sure it wasn't something with the temporary interet files. Your other wallpapers look fine though.

Does anybody else notice the spots?

Michael

"Moonshadow and Alternative Visions"

March 28, 2008

Very Cool…

And I’m very happy that you removed the “man” – it felt to much like when you take a cool photo where you *afterwards* find that somebody walked into it and you can’t do anything about it – moment lost…

Maybe you could add an “Alternative Version” Tab and Preview to the main Gallery. As IMHO the “man” less picture (just like with “Lone Tree”) does not deserve to be stuffed into the pickle jar (or turn the pickle jar into a browse able gallery).

Regards,

Michael

anthony

"moonshadow"

March 28, 2008

When first seeing this I wished it didn't have the figure; I'm very happy to see there is a version without the figure now. Of course, I never want a figure in the image, so maybe it's just a personal quirk of mine.

Adi

"Protection?"

March 28, 2008

I was looking at this again this morning.. and suddenly a thought came to me.. "I hope that dude is wearing protective eye glasses" :)

Rick Mozil

"MOON SHADOW | 05.27032008.1"

March 27, 2008

This work reminds me that in our troubled world I am but one of many entities in our biosphere and our galaxy. However, the collective I becomes we the citizens of a fragile biosphere. We may think we have the power to change our biosphere to suite our innate needs for what some may argue is for the greater good. However, while we exhaust our planet, pollute the air and taint the waters, our actions wipe out possibilities for our survival. Nevertheless, in my interpretation of the Moon Shadow work, the power of nature and the cosmos which we do not and likely will not fully understand prevails.

Also, the silhouette of the lonely figure looking upward may be trying to make sense of what they see. Possibly the figure is trying to make sense of the spectacle, or maybe they already understand. No matter, unlike the sole figure looking upward, I too wonder why our biosphere, societies, and minorities within are seemingly becoming silhouettes.

isobelcav

"Moonshadow"

March 26, 2008

I love this one and I think having the figure in it is much better.

quietmtn

"Ryan's gift"

March 26, 2008

Ryan,

Just thought it appropriate to send some energy your way. My son introduced me to your work last year and I have to say I've been thrilled each time I open my desktop. You do inspiring work - this world definately needs artists to show us this life is definately worth living.

Keep up the good work...

George

Adi

"Dual-screen version"

March 26, 2008

Just wanted to mention that I liked the right third of the tri-screen better than the left half of the dual-screen.. So I took the tri-screen version and chopped off the left third to create another dual screen (with the eclipse now on the left half).. which I like much better.. Not that the dual screen Ryan made is bad, but still :^)

celmendo

"Moonshadow"

March 26, 2008

Really like it! Prefer it without the figure; it's just distracting to me.

Thanks

James

"broken link"

March 25, 2008

The link for to 2560x1024 version without the figure seems to be broken.

Labanimal

"Something else"

March 25, 2008

The Clouds, water reflection seems to have changed - the clouds arnt as nice, the water isnt a big thing, mostly the clouds.

Other that, its still a damn great design!

Labanimal

"Moonshadow Dual & Tripple Flaw"

March 25, 2008

I Absolutely love this design of yours, however, i was looking at the dual and tripple version closeup comparing it to the single and wide - To the left of the figure standing, in the mountains just below the lowest clouds on the horizon, there's a stripe or mark that's not present in the single or wide, but is present in the dual, dual wide and tripple. ;)

zach

"Figure + banding"

March 25, 2008

Maybe it's just my screen, but there seems to be a lot of distinct banding on the top right cloud, and even more on the disc. This is ridiculous, but it seems to detract quite a bit from what would be a fabulous image.

Tried both on my computer. Eventually prefer the one without the figure. The proportions of the disc to the landscape give the picture a mythological feel which may appeal to more people.

Kind regards,

Chris

Mike

"Moonshadow"

March 24, 2008

Personally, I prefer the image with the small figure in it. Out of your images which contain figures (or animals) in the scenery, I don't recall ever thinking I'd prefer any version without the figures (or animals).

Dub

"a new favorite"

March 24, 2008

this is beautiful ryan. im leaving this up for awhile

Kevin

"Moonshadow"

March 24, 2008

This is one of my favorite images you've done. Can't wait to get the triple screen version. I prefer the version without the person.

Keep up the great work!

Philsy

"Moonshadow"

March 24, 2008

I personally like the figure in the image. It personifies on an individual basis as to what the experience might be like to witness a magnificent event such as this one. After all, no matter how small we may be in an event like this one, we are entangled with our universe and all occurances therein.

Jonathan

"nice but"

March 24, 2008

I love this Piece of work, but if I were to change something in it, it would be to add distant Lightning in the clouds past the Water.

all in all i gave this a 10

Sean W

"Mind-Blowing"

March 24, 2008

Wow. There really aren't adequate words in the English language for some of your images, and this is one of them. Amazing, Ryan. Absolutely amazing.

Along with most folks, I prefer the image without the figure. The figure does a great job of showing the scale, but draws the eye away from the grandeur of the eclipse. Either way, though, this is fantastic!

dreamer

"Nice work"

March 24, 2008

this one really makes you relaxed, good job

Speedy J

"I love it "

March 24, 2008

Whoa ! I love this wall paper. To me is one of the best that I have seen in a long time.

It remind me the solar eclipse in the movie Apocalypto.

Sincerely

Marco

larakimbo

"Scale"

March 24, 2008

I absolutely love this one....Without the little man in front. I prefer pictures where I can use my own imagination to determine scale. Adding people takes away from the inner peace that your pictures portray to me. It's like one embellishment too many and it makes the picture just slightly less than perfect.

However, I'm glad you understand that people have different opinions and that you're willing to post both versions! Thanks!

Charles

"one more thing"

March 24, 2008

I forgot to thank you for obliging those of us who wanted a version without the figure us and providing us with an alternate image.

Charles

"minus the figure"

March 24, 2008

I like the version without the figure better. It is true that without the figure, one has no sense of scale but that is why I like it without the figure. I know that what I'm looking at is big as its a celestial body, but getting lost in the beautiful landscape is way more appealing (to me).

Chris

"LOVE IT"

March 24, 2008

I love how it has a sepia tone to it--giving it such an antique look, yet is so science-fiction-like with the triune lunar look.

Another masterpiece, Ryan. Thanks!

asterismW

"Moonshadow"

March 24, 2008

I like the little guy. I've also always liked solar eclipses (though I've never been fortunate enough to have actually seen one), so I quite like this wallpaper. Keep up the good work!

Link33

"JPEG Artifacts"

March 24, 2008

I love the composition.

I see a lot of banding in the shading of the moon that are probably from the jpeg compression. Anyway we can see a higher quality setting for the jpeg format? Even the PNG format shows a lot of bands. Or is it in the actual render? By the way, what bitmap format does get generated from the render? Tiff? PSD? Just curious.

Looks great though except for the bans.

Matt

"Love it"

March 24, 2008

I think I prefer version with the person also...great work.

Matthew

"Scale"

March 24, 2008

In my humble opinion, you give 2 ways to judge scale with this image. The first is the figure. It almost makes the image seem out of place some how. There is something funn about the image that just makes it "off". The second is the small moon at 10 o'clock. It adds an appropiate sense of scale.

Its a great image reguardless. And everyone is a critic.

James

"5* (10) rating"

March 24, 2008

This looks great. I do prefer the one without the figure though. Is there a possibility of a dual screen, 2560x1024, version without the figure?

MythAvatar

"Simply Stunning"

March 24, 2008

This is my first comment on any of your images and i must say that while i love all of your work there is something special, almost awe-inspiring about this one.

P.S I feel that the figure is important here, it makes the scene feel all that more realistic and tangible.

Astatine

"Another wonderful one"

March 24, 2008

Fabulously dreamy. :)

For me, the figure's important, makes it that much more real.

ColinShotz

"Stunning"

March 24, 2008

Not much more you can say about this..... absolutely amazing!!

Nice job.

Chris

"Simply Amazing"

March 24, 2008

This is the first one of 2008 to absolutely take my breath away. I love this and if it was possible to give it a higher rating than what I can on your site, I would!

Darren

"nice"

March 23, 2008

Great image.

Re. people in image....whatever you decide, it's your vision.

No-one spotted the error because they are too hung up on having/not having the person in the image!!!

Mello

"Wow!"

March 23, 2008

The clouds are just amazing! The water and rocks are also stellar! I love this one! Either way it's awesome, with or without the person! Both are great!

Dan

"Awesome!"

March 23, 2008

I don't mind the man standing there, I actually like both versions. It's not a big deal to me, without the man it's a more natural scene but with him it shows the size perspective and is neat. I rarely critique your wallpapers in detail but I will say about this one that the shadow or eclipse coming off the moon doesn't look as natural as I might imagine it. It's good but I don't know how hard it is to achieve the most realistic shadow around that moon, it just looks artificial, but I still love the image!

Doug

""Stunning""

March 23, 2008

This is my favorite! I am so lucky to have found this site! Thank You!

Rob

"Awe inspiring..."

March 23, 2008

This completely blows me away; it's stunning. I think this is your best work so far.

Travis

"BRAVO!!!"

March 23, 2008

Another Magnificent work of art. The sense of scale and awe inspiring scene capture the imagination and tantalize the senses. Keep up the great work, it is incredible.

Travis

Peter

"Much Better"

March 23, 2008

The fixed version looks much better, up my rating!

Pete

"MoonShadow"

March 23, 2008

Hi Ryan

1) I love it.

2) I agree with you about having the person there.

Pete

Logical

"With Figure"

March 23, 2008

I definitely prefer the one with the figure. When I look at the pickle jar version with no figure, the scene just doesn't seem as grand and epic. With the figure, it really does add a sense of scale to the whole thing. I imagine the guy as an explorer discovering new worlds, and he looks like he's just standing there in awe.

I don't think he's distracting at all; the coloring keeps him from standing out too much. Due to the bright light coming out from around the planet, your eye tends to focus there, and the figure is pushed off to the side.

I definitely like the original version best.

Keep up the good work, Ryan!

SteveSw

"i prefer no figure, generally"

March 23, 2008

I don't have any problem establishing a sense of scale just from the rocks and the water and the clouds. I guess my eye has assumptions about scale based on similar scenes I've been in.

There's a funny resonance that goes on in the scene that I think happens because the person isn't the "right" size given my unconscious evaluation of the scale of the rest of the picture. In this case, the figure seems too small for me. Or put another way, the rock pillows seem too large and far away if a person ends up that height. I don't get that feeling with any other aspect of the piece when the figure is absent.

I've noticed that some people who take snapshots when they travel need to have their friends and family in the pictures, to "personalize" them. Other people like to just take pictures of the places themselves and don't like the "clutter" of known folks. I wonder if there's some similar thing that goes on with figures in your art? Some folks might relate to it better when there's a human element in the art, whereas other folks might relate to this sort of image better absent the human element.

Why would this planet be human-friendly? Why should it? Why do we want it to be? Those are interesting questions that different people will have different answers to.

Weapon-X

"ART"

March 23, 2008

This image blows me away!

Dave R.

"Figures or no figures"

March 23, 2008

For me it varies depending on the image, though I often find myself favoring the versions with the figure.

When I see an image like Moonshadow with the figure standing there, I don't think "wow, that's distracting" but rather imagine the figure as myself as someone else is taking the picture of the scene with me in it. And has also been pointed out, the whole sense of scale changes based on the presence (or absence) of that figure as a frame of reference.

Still, that's just my opinion and ultimately you should keep doing the images the way you like them!

Keep up the good work!

John

"Amazing"

March 23, 2008

Love this one too. And, I'm also going to have to go against the crowd and say I like the one with the figure standing in the foreground. It adds a more mystical dimension to the overall feel ...

My only complaint is how still the water is. It adds some great reflections ... but I do wonder how the image would look with more turbulent water.

Thanks again for the wonderful image!

Jason

"Great work"

March 23, 2008

Another great image. To go against the crowd, I usually prefer the images WITH figures :)

Shawny

"Picklejar Version"

March 23, 2008

I prefer the pickle jar version - it's a thing I have a people in my pictures in general. While the guy in the foreground does give you some sense of scale, I didn't even notice him at first. Your eye is drawn to the moon right away. So when I saw the little guy there, it was almost a distraction ...

John

"very good"

March 23, 2008

I was looking for eggs but I have found Moonshadow, happy eastern..

Paul

"Dude, what's mine say..."

March 23, 2008

Ryan,

This is why I am an active subscriber. Keep up the outstanding work. It reminds me of the movie Pitch Black. If I had to choose between the two versions, I prefer the one without the figure, just seems cleaner to me.

S Harris

"Moonshadow"

March 23, 2008

I much prefer the one without the human figure. To me it's more wild and otherworldly. Thanks!

Roberto

"One of your best EVER"

March 23, 2008

Ryan,

this is one of your best picture, according to me. My next desktop on all my computers!

Thank you and happy Easter!!!

Fred

"Thank you for the PickleJar!"

March 23, 2008

At first I was thinking "Why did this really awesome picture have to get ruined by having someone standing in it." I then saw the PickleJar and was happy!

There have been many pictures from DB in the past that are ruined like this, and I am glad to see this one had a version without the guy standing in it!

Johnny

"This is Amazing!"

March 23, 2008

Lately your abstracts have been what's really catching my eye. This new image just absolutely blew my mind! Thank you so much for posting.

Nerfer

"Striking!"

March 23, 2008

This is definitely one of my favorites, I love scenes that are somewhat unearthly while still maintaining a realistic feel. For me these images take my imagination to new and amazing worlds!

I am strongly in favor of making two renders of the scenes that have figures in them, so that subscribers can choose which one they want.

evilmonkey

"cool eclipse"

March 23, 2008

i've been viewing your work for sometime and this is definitely one of my favorites. Very good work.

Pengman

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

WOW indeed. This is another example of why I'm going lifetime when my year is up.

Awesome

Deatherage

"PWNAGE"

March 22, 2008

wow just awesome, my favorite in a long time, also i love the images with a planet in them you do!

Soulyouth

"WOW"

March 22, 2008

I check in everyday to check for messages and new images, but today when I click, OMG, incredible, this is beautiful, I love the soft edges, and tge cloud work in this one is one of your best.

Its my new Laptop BG and when I get home my desktop too. Thx for the image

SHv2

"Figure vs No Figure"

March 22, 2008

Doesn't really matter. I think the picture has a real "I am legend" sort of feel. Much more epic IMO. Regardless, awesome picture.

alexM

"Very Nice"

March 22, 2008

This is pretty cool. I generally don't like the figures in images unless it shows a sense of scale to some sort of monumentally huge structures. I am debating still about whether I like the one with the figure or not. Maybe I'll just grab them both and let them both cycle through my wallpaper changer. I like it though and as always, keep up the good work.

P.S. I bet that it can render pretty fast with that processor and the RAM you've got.

Steve

"Figure vs Figureless"

March 22, 2008

Ryan,

Every non-abstract image you create essentially could have a person, a tree, something in it to give you a sense of proportion. It seems to be a common dilemma for your scenery type images. I can't tell you what's right or wrong, but I can say that giving us two options might just be your best bet. The version you post should be the one you like best, because after all, they are _your_ images.

Keep up the amazing work,

Steve

Tuishimi

"Oh beautiful!"

March 22, 2008

I really really like this. I am at times a monochromatic kind of guy and this fits the bill!

John

"Correction"

March 22, 2008

It was tropical moon that the shoreline looks like.

John

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I like the image and I think I noitced the mistake as well, after reviewing the image. I didn't think it was a mistake at first. However, is it me or is the shoreline remarkably similar to the Tropic of Capricorn one? I swear I've seen that shorline before.

The perspective of this rendering is interesting. I didn't even notice the figure at first. I noticed the tiny third orb in the sky. Overall, this is fine work, Ryan.

Mark

"Figure"

March 22, 2008

I like the one with the figure and also the one without it. However, at this point I think the figure looks a little inhuman and a little robotic.

Great image though, and would love to see some more colors.

Daniel

"Very good"

March 22, 2008

The figure gives the image a sense of surrealism. It looks like he's had a long journey just to see this awe-dropping sight. A sight that just makes the user fix his eyes onto it. It's only him and this wonder, no one else. He looks at it in a trance-like state and he's enjoying it.

gunner

"moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I

LOVE

IT

phealy

"The figure"

March 22, 2008

I've had friends comment on the images I've had on my desktop before, and one person managed to sum up why he and I prefer it without the person - we don't want to share. It feels like such an awesome (in the awe-inspiring sense) experience that having someone else there (in the foreground, not observing it with you) just seems to detract from it.

Otherwise, great work!

jmpond

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

A true work of art... I love it! Could you do this in an Ice Blue primary shade? It would look really cool as a Midnite Moonshadow.

Charles

"Moonshadow great but..."

March 22, 2008

Great picture. I really like it but would like to put my vote in for a version without the person in it. The figure just kinda detracts from the awesomeness of the rest of the landscape.

Pauly

"Growing on me..."

March 22, 2008

At first I thought "wow, that eclipse is WAY too big". But then I realized that we were looking from the surface of a moon orbiting a massive planet (like Jupiter). Love it now!

I wanted to chime in and vote for a version without the figure. If you do go ahead and create one for the pickle jar, PLEASE create a dual-monitor version of it! Thanks!

Chris Jenk

"That's no moon... It's a space sta... Wait, that's wrong too."

March 22, 2008

That's rather large for a solar eclipse, isn't it? It'd have to be a rather cool sun for a habitable planet to exist so close...

I'm not fond of the figure though. On a scale like this, I just don't see it adding much. It seems to me that in a scene like this, you want to try more for a sense of *majesty* rather than a human scale... more "Cosmic Shoals" than "Cathedral". OTOH, if I can't articulate it any better than this, I may be totally wrong.

I'd like to see something like this, only from low orbit of the non-eclipsing planet. (I'm assuming this is supposed to be a binary planet.) Two habitable worlds, city lights on the dark side of the eclipsing planet, and just a smidgeon of the sun rising above it.

Tril

"Torn"

March 22, 2008

I like the landscape, the clouds and the water...don't like the moons/planets at all. They look very flat and unrealistic and so dominate an otherwise evocative picture as to ruin it for me. I'll admit I haven't seen many eclipses. But even if this is an accurate portrayal of an eclipse, the rest of the picture just doesn't go. Without the big honkin' disc+corona, it would be a peaceful scene. With it, I don't know how to react.

You seem to be creating a number of images lately (this, Lone Tree, Maya) that have a flat, minimalist feel, in part or even throughout. They look very obviously rendered. Is this an intentional artistic choice? Personally I prefer the more rich and detailed work you were doing back in 2007. But I'll stick around in hopes that the pendulum will swing my way again :-)

PianoMan

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I really, really like this one with one exception: the guy standing on the hillock is distracting. If I am the observer (and this sort of image just begs me to be the observer), why should I be interested in some dude looking at the eclipse unless he's standing beside me, sharing the experience. It just seems gratuitous.

Beyond that, I really love the contrast. The corona surrounding the moon is beautiful, and the lighting on the clouds is nice.

Thank you!

Kana

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I'd agree with Greg. Sometimes I like having the person, most of the time not. I prefer having nature in the scene, not humans. I do like it because it's showing scale.

However, I might have put the human standing somewhat sideways to the screen, on the right-hand ledge. Because the human is darker, it's more subtle.

Either way, I love this picture. Awesome job, once again!

S Harris

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

This is great. Any chance of getting one without the human figure?

Tim

"Really Nice!"

March 22, 2008

I really like this one. The foreground person is a very nice touch...it adds scale. The clouds look well done. Maybe remove the extra disks you have in the upper left? They distract a little.

Rob

"Stunning!"

March 22, 2008

This is fantastic. I love the monochrome feel to the image and the clouds look so realistic. Thank you, Ryan.

V--Z

"omg! Love it!"

March 22, 2008

Not sure how you managed the corona effect in Vue, but I'm sure that took nearly as much tinkering as the clouds! (and I fully agree with you on that subject).

I honestly can't claim to find the figures distracting. Some of my favorite pieces of art are the one with more to look at than the obvious. Something where I can find an aspect I hadn't seen the week before. Like the wolves in Song of the Sky =) Perhaps making a person more subtle would satisfy more people?

But then again, can someone please show me any piece of art in all of history that had a universal "10"? =) It's art! It's not always going to draw everyone, and demanding the artist changed something (unless, of course, it's an exclusively commissioned piece) is perhaps a little audacious =)

Absolutely fabulous, Ryan, and thank you!

V--Z

Steven

"Woooow! Great!"

March 22, 2008

This picture is so great... all i can say is WOW!

I dont think this wallpaper would be as great without the person in the foreground. It adds a sense of scale for sure.

Would a tree or bush do this job too?

Joel

"Awesome!!"

March 22, 2008

Roughly half of the time I prefer the person in the foreground, and half not, but usually I don't find it has a huge impact. This time I can't even imagine the picture without it... it fits so perfectly, and adds so much!

This is brilliant, thank you!

JakeW

"Amazing..."

March 22, 2008

how many times have i said this?

wow

Jamie N.

"Wow"

March 22, 2008

Stunning. I love it.

Peter

"Not the man, the moon"

March 22, 2008

I actually don't mind the man, it's the big honking eclipse that hurts the scene, it's so big and flat that it takes over and imho hurts the overall picture, that could have worked out really well otherwise.

Greg

"The figures always throw it off for me too..."

March 22, 2008

Awesome pic, but I have to say, I'm one of those who don't much care for figures in your art, with the possible exception of "overseer". If you were trying to convey an epic sense of scale, a small village, settlement, etc, might have worked just as well. But then again, that might have made it too busy.

Jo C

"Wow."

March 22, 2008

This really is something else. Fantastic.

shirty

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I love this paper!

I'm hoping there will be a multimonitor version!

Pleasseeeeee

Adam

"Absolutely Beautiful!"

March 22, 2008

You must make this in to a poster! I will buy it yesterday!

Sam

"I love it!"

March 22, 2008

Truly impressed - this is my new desktop for quite some time!

Ryan

"Figures in Images..."

March 22, 2008

They always seem to be controversial. In this case I thought the figure was necessary to give the scene an epic sense of scale. It just wouldn't be the same without it.

I will probably post a version without the figure in the Pickle Jar in the near future, but this is the version I want for the gallery.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Kieron

"Not my favourite."

March 22, 2008

I think it would look better without the person, it's not really my sort of image though, too dark.

Josh_D

"clouds"

March 22, 2008

Looks great except the clouds by the moon, like the ones under it and overlapping the bottom, look kinda weird and fake.

Randy

"Smallest moon"

March 22, 2008

Looks like it has a dark crescent on the side facing the star.

Medium moon would probably also have a thin bright crescent on the right, toward the star.

RobO

"From 9 to 8"

March 22, 2008

My initial impression was that this was a 9, but the figure in the foreground detracted a bit, so I rated it 8.

How about a version without the figure in the foreground?

Randy

"Rated it at an 8"

March 22, 2008

Erase the figure and I'll give it a 9.

Blaise

"My New Favorite"

March 22, 2008

I love all of the space images you have done, and this one is by far your best work. It's my new favorite!

Eddie

"Amazing"

March 22, 2008

Amazing - right up there vying for top spot. Looking forward to a tri-screen version......please

dafaolta

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

Very cool. Definitely one of my top faves.

I was distracted at first by the man and the smaller orb, but they add depth and interest at second and third looks. It might be interesting to see what their absence would do, but as a picklejar candidate, not to replace this one.

Anne

"Planet"

March 22, 2008

Love this one- only one slight issue.

Somehow the two globes in the centre seem to be slightly unreal compared to the rest of the picture.. I understand its an eclipse, but somehow it doesn't fit in perfectly.

On the other hand i've never seen an eclipse before, so I may be way off the mark here.

Brilliant clouds, one of my favourites again!

Saranna

"WOOOOOOOOOW"

March 22, 2008

Oh and after reading the reviews - I want to add that I LOVE the person you have. I can look and pretend it's me, and feel so much more 'in' the image.

Saranna

"WOOOOOOOOOW"

March 22, 2008

10! 10.5! Wow. I don't know how to describe this image, other than I think that it instantaneously became my single favourite background ever.

And given the full moon yesterday - also so fitting.

Shahea

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

I love this one, it's fantastic! I have an odd sized desktop (1440x900) so it's not quite the right sizing for it, but I don't really care. :)

Labanimal

"!"

March 22, 2008

WOW!... I'll comment later when i've caught my breath!

Will

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

this is amazing! this may very well be my most favorite piece of yours. its really cool! ive always loved your planetscapes

Markus

"Moonshadow"

March 22, 2008

Usually I don't take pictures with a high contrast as backgrounds. But this one really caught my eye and went straight to my desktop!

Mark

"Surreal"

March 22, 2008

Thanks for the new wallpaper. I dont know what to think about it to be honest. which isnt a bad thing!

Its surreal. Very lifelike while not at the same time. Its hard to explain lol, good job!

Overdrive

"impressive"

March 22, 2008

Impressive piece of art. These kind of pictures are my favorite. The thumbnail shows even more contrasts and deserves 10*.

About the man: It does gives a sense of scale, as stated before. But without a person there's less distraction. I guess I like it both.

9*

Joe

"Person in the picture"

March 22, 2008

I love the latest project. There is only one thing that I don't like too much ... the person. I just think that when there is a person in your images it takes away from the overall appearance. I seem to focus more on the person than the beauty of the rest of the image. If you could make one without the man that would be awesome. I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks this. It's much like "lonetree" where I prefer the one without the person.

But I love the latest image.

Justin

"Very Cool"

March 22, 2008

I really like this image. For some reason lately, I've been really interested in photographs of eclipses. Maybe it's because we recently had a total lunar eclipse, or simply because good photographs of eclipses in general (solar or lunar) are extremely cool. I especially like the fact it seems you took special interest in the sun's corona. Reminds me very much of pictures such as this one on National Geographic:

I felt it that it had to be a "gas giant" eclipsing the sun so I made the edges of the planet a little blurry to reflect this.

Aurelyn

"Good job!"

March 22, 2008

Great job on the cloud rendering on this one - it looks really good. Unlike many of your pieces, I think the figure in the foreground in really adds a sense of scale to the shot. It might be just my monitor, but centre of the piece comes out a little blurry? Keep it up!